We are all familiar with the idea of substance use relapse. But are all relapses the same? What does it mean when relapse becomes chronic? In this post we answer these questions and identify the root cause of chronic relapse.

Post-traumatic stress disorder isn’t just something that happens to returning combat veterans. If you have unresolved trauma from your past, you may be suffering from it, too. There’s plenty of documentation that suggests a relationship between PTSD and alcoholism. If you’re struggling with this type of double jeopardy right now, read on for a possible solution.

There's more to picking the right rehab center than simply looking at reviews. You also have to consider the kinds of programs that a rehab center offers. While the results of a specific program varies depending on your situation, some services are staples for rehab. One example is dual diagnosis treatment for co-occurring disorders.

One of the most painful ways that we hurt ourselves is actually through our judgments. What are judgments and how can you turn them your way? 

If you are an adoptee or adoptive parent you may be familiar with the term "adoption trauma." We deal with all forms of trauma as underlying causes of addiction at The Clearing, and what we know is that what is traumatic for one individual, isn’t for another. It’s all about how each person holds an event in our memory and consciousness.

Today, you should give yourself forgiveness.

Why? Because to start off, we know that judgment is self-condemnation and self-forgiveness is freedom.

Many people struggle with finding healing from substance abuse, and finding the right physical environment plays a critical role in their success. For some, residential treatment centers are the best way to heal from the underlying traumas that cause substance abuse. But different treatment centers offer different types of environments, and selecting the right one for you is critical.

Alcoholism and anger go together in more ways than one. Most of us seem to know about the "angry drunk" caricature. Even caricatures can be based on truth.

Did you know that nearly 1 in 5 people with addiction issues have trouble controlling their anger?

It's true, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA).

But did you know that unaddressed anger can actually lead to alcoholism and addiction?

Why is it that so many people who want to recover from addiction cannot? What’s missing in addiction treatment that prevents them from healing?

Sure, there are some who enter treatment under coercion -- be it from their partner, their parents, or their parole officer. But many people who seek treatment for addiction truly want to get well.

So why don't they?

It’s a familiar but frightening story: something terrible happens early on in your life, and before you know it, you find yourself doing increasingly awful things to your body. It’s the only way you know how to cope.

Sure, you know better than to drink to excess or to take that many pills. Of course you wish that you could stop. On the rational level, it’s easy to see the folly of substance abuse and addiction.

But what really caused this? What is the connection between trauma and addiction?